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Category: Writing

No one can makes us happy. Our own happiness is subjective to our own definition and perception of happiness. This personal definition is shaped and affected by various things but not limited to: our environment growing up, our parents, expectation, society, thought process, etc.

I think that is why there are some of my attempts in making people happy are never really successful. From my perspective, I often tried to impose my perception of ‘happiness’ to others when I tried to make people happy. I didn’t realize I unconsciously disregarded the consideration of others and what they think happiness is for them.

Still, what we do will eventually become happiness to others if the ‘other’ perceives it as happiness according to their our definitions and terms. That ‘other’ perception is out of our control.

The next time I ty to make someone happy, I will remind myself that what matters is my intention to do good and try my best to make someone happy and to practice empathy – the things that are in my control. The way people will perceive it is completely out of our control. And maybe, the unwanted responds – such as being ignored and not appreciated are not because they dislike us as a person, it may be just our different perceptions in happiness.

My friend just came back from her travel and she told me she met a girl that really inspires her. This girl she met doesn’t really have any plan in life she said. She will continue to do the things she is currently doing as long as it still feels “right” to her (my friend literally put the quotation mark). She wants to be able to exit if something doesn’t feel good to her anymore. It sounds like such a great idea, living life with the flow. I imagine myself constantly feeling happy and content doing what she is doing at the moment. As much as I want my life to be always rainbows and butterflies, the reality is not always the case. However, this conversation sparks an interesting thought in my mind.

I made a promise with myself 2 years go (2018) that I would do all the things I ‘want’ within the next 5 years so my future self wont regret anything from my past. I want to be able to say “I have done all the things I wanted to do”. I imagine it would make me feel good fulfilling the things that feels good to me and it felt so right to at that time. Nonetheless, 1.5 years forwards, if there is any takeaway from my life so far is decisions based only on emotions doesn’t really do me any good or take me to forward in my life. I personally think the emotion or “feeling” good or right is based on a perception in our mind and thoughts, that are already influenced with biases from other people thoughts, past experiences and even the content we consume. Based on that, we build our idealistic concept of ‘what is right’ according to our thought process. In fact, that concept also has input in our decision making process.

Instead of purely taking the feeling good or right as the primary decision maker, I have learnt to take it as a signal for me to investigate further of why is a particular thing feels right to me. The reason why I don’t want to decide solely based on emotion is because emotion and what I feel changes all the time. In fact, I don’t think at this point in my life I would consider my emotion is stable enough to be the decision maker. This might be different with you though.

On the other hand, having assessment about what we want to do gives us a more logical perspective and understanding of ourselves. For me, just solely decide on what feels right without any understanding what is the definition of “right” for me can lead me into the wrong direction. In fact, the idea of what is right for you and for me are different. I personally believe that the idea of what is right doesn’t come from our feeling but from a long thought process. It takes system 2 or a longer and more hardworking thought process to process and probably justify the inputs in your mind. Eventually, that becomes what I consider as what feels right on my thought process. The template becomes the system 1 or the simpler thought process on my thought process when I am faced with decisions and the output is “I feel this is right for me”.

PS: The term System 1 and System 2 on thought process is based on Daniel Kahneman’s book, “Thinking Fast and Slow”

This might or might not be relatable to you. We have our own values and thought process that affect our own decision making. We might agree or disagree on each other about this but that’s completely okay! I think that is the beauty of being human, the diversity in interpreting the world around us. I never intend this post to be a recommendation or self-development related or even how-to-do-life kind of thing. I just want to convey another perspective on this specific topic based on my own thought process along with all its biases and influences.

I have noticed I haven’t been consistent posing here despite the fact that blogging is probably my most favorite online platform compare to the others (talking about Instagram and facebook here)

I was dealing with a great self-doubt (cliché). And I don’t think she is going anywhere anytime soon. She’s planning on staying in my head for a long time. That granules of self doubt were built overtime and the cup is now overflowed. That is why I know that everyday I am not in a battle with anyone else but myself. Everything around me can be chaotic but the thing that determine my inner-peace is my respond to the situation. It’s still baby steps for me but I has changed my perspective in life.

Even now I am actively battling my own self-doubt. Questioning myself if what I want to say matter or even if I even matter? I am pretty sure that all of us in the same battle of our own self-doubt. I have been rejected and failed too many and I am still going through my rejections and failures. However, from that experiences I have learnt that rejections mean we haven’t found the right people, platform or place yet and failure mean we haven’t found what is right and worked for us yet. Notice the word ‘haven’t’ and ‘yet’? Whatever you and me are facing right now is not the end destination.

It feels crazy I was so full with inspiration at the beginning of my writing and now it is all gone. I think it will make a great writing prompts, just write anything that comes up in my head, even if it’s a writer’s block.

Anyways, I want to start being responsible with my life again while pursuing what I want. Constantly exploring new things while having a strong integrity with my values. Marrying the idea of survival, idealistic and realistic thinking into some sort of threesome. Weird? I know, I think so too. In fact, I was completely sober writing this out but it makes a perfect sense in my weird and sober mind. Back into blogging style when it was first born. Spilling the true and honest self out into words without having to worry about SEO, followers or any kind of bullshit.

And thank you for stopping by, I hope to see you soon. And please let me know how you think about anything in the comment below! It’s your space pipool!!!

PS: notice the shift in writing style? That’s the difference when you just let your true creativity pour out without thinking about any potential judgement that are mostly just happen in your head (and my head too)

“be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.”

William James, Psychologist / Philosopher

“nothing that comes easy is a worth a dime. As a matter of fact, i never saw a football player make a tackle with a smile on his face. Never”

Woody Hayes, College Football Coach

“stick to your own story. It is the most important subject in history but it is one about which you are uniquely qualified to speak”

Evelyn Waugh, Writer

“don’t worry about people stealing your idea. If it’s original, you’ll have to ram it down their throats”

Howard Aiken, Computer Scientist

“keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that too, can become great”

Mark Twain, Writer

“do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion accepted was once eccentric.”

Betrand Russell, Mathematician / Philosopher

“laugh at yourself first before anyone else can.”

Elsa Maxwell, Socialite

“read at every wait; read at all hours; read within leisure; read in times of labor; read as one goes in; read as one goes out. The task of the educated mind is simply put: read to lead.”

Marcus Tullius, Roman Philosopher/ Statesman

“gamble everything for love, if you are a true human being.”

Rumi, Persian Poet / Mystic

“the important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when contemplating the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of the mystery everyday. Never lose a holy curiosity.”

Albert Einstein, Physicist

Quoted from the book “Dance First Think Later” by Kathryn & Ross Petras

Talking about my entrepreneurial journey is not always rainbows and butterflies. Often, in fact, most of the times I feel like wherever I go, we always hit myself to walls. There’s no way getting in through. I am stuck. That’s exactly what I feel now. My creativity hits to the dead ends, no new ideas are coming. Have you ever felt the same way?

Enjoy the process they say, I do enjoy the process but sometimes my human-self wants to convert back to feel human. The one that able to feel frustrated. I have been committed and would love to keep doing so but there’s no more ideas coming out of my brain. What should I do? When the deadlines is right in front of my eyes, I feel handcuffed, unable to create.

So I kept pushing those walls. In hopes that my ordinary strength will eventually break those walls. Then I think again about the power of water drops. They are ordinary nor that we think have some supernatural power to break anything solid. Yet their persistence eventually break solid rock into halves.

No one is starting out right or strong yet the persistency and the intention of not giving up will be eventually paid off. You and I are not too late. We are in our own journey walking in our own pace. Fuck the world that always asks us to rush things, they don’t even know us.

For those who are in the midst of struggle and giving up, you hold the power to remain going or to stop. It’s completely up to you. You know your values, strength and weakness. But I want to tell you that the path you choose now is hard but it’s worth every sweat and tears. No one can do this better than you. Take a rest if you need one, it’s okay to feel not okay for the moment. Then when you recover, let the your strong-self to take over. She will take you to places you have never been before.

I just came back from a night out with my friends. Slightly intoxicated, I decided to go to the room where I know you were already there. Thank God the alcohol overcame my fear of walking up those stairs. I was worried that you would forget how it feels between us. I knew it was only a month we were a part but that was more than enough to make us into ‘almost strangers’. At least that was what I thought. I quietly opened the door and saw you sleeping on the other side of the bed. I tipped toe to the shower, quickly washed off the cigarette smell or maybe a few spills of someone else’s drink. I didn’t quite remember. I kept the room dark. Not that I didn’t want to wake you up but I didn’t want you to see me. Somehow I felt so insecure. I still feel I wasn’t enough for anyone, not even for you to keep.

The reality of our own tangible world has become what matter to us more. We are already at the end of the candle wick. We talked only about what is necessary then it is no longer necessary for us to talk.

The fire has died and the room becomes dark again. What goes around comes back around, they say. Those who were once strangers now have become strangers again.